Austin Fontaine 
Megan Novelli So…as I began to think about what I would blog about for our final blog post (at least what I believe is our final blog post) I decided to comment on something I think everyone will enjoy; cinema.
I, for one, am an avid movie-goer and because of the “simple life” provided by the lovely city of Abilene, I’m sure the rest of you are too.
As such, I have decided to compile a sort of list of the movies I have watched recently that shed some light on mental illness and institutionalization. So, here it goes.
There is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which is my all time favorite Jack Nicholson movie. Here we have a very dark image of what it meant to be institutionalized when lobotomies and electric shock therapy were still the common treatments for mental illness. Throw in an extremely stoic head nurse and everything just gets dismal from there.
Then there’s Girl, Interrupted where Angelina Jolie won an academy award for best supporting actress. Also, a dark picture of institutionalization in the 60’s. Jolie plays a sociopath and Winona Ryder plays a young girl with Borderline Personality Disorder. Obviously, institutionalization is still highly stigmatized, but at least at the end of this move, Winona receives treatment and actually recovers.
There’s also Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, which I’m sure every psychology major loves. This is a deep journey into the mind of a severely dysfunctional paranoid schizophrenic. The picture of institutionalization in this film is much more positive than the first two, although in Leonardo’s case, he ultimately cannot be helped.
Lastly, there is the cult classic Fight Club. But alas ladies, this Chuck Palahniuk adaptation is not only valuable because of Brad Pitt’s almost constant lack of a shirt. In this film, we identify with a somewhat timid man we later find out has multiple personality disorder and has been wreaking havoc across the country. Interesting to say the least.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I like to see the cinematic version of mental illness (most of the time). It reminds me of a lot of the history of institutionalization and how much it has changed and become more humane. What do you guys think about these movies and the comments they make about mental illness and institutionalization?
One Flew Over the Cuckoo\'s Nest Trailer
Amy McCarty
7:49 am, 11.22.10
I think you have an interesting list of movies there. I saw a sleeper movie this weekend about institutionalization this weekend called Session 9 which was interesting. I think that we have to be careful, though to not let Hollywood inform our complete picture of institutionalization. There were atrocities perpetrated on people for sure. Also a few documentaries of early institutions exist which are very bleak.
Amy McLean
9:08 am, 11.22.10
I actually have not seen most of these movies. Thanks for the list! It will be interesting to note the improvements throughout the years. I have seen Girl, Interrupted and agree that it depicts a sad view of institutionalization.
Rachel Jinkerson
10:30 am, 11.22.10
I have seen Shutter Island and Fight Club, but not the other too. Another movie I thought about when reading your list was A Beautiful Mind. There is a part of the movie when Russel Crowe’s character is institutionalized and is receiving shock therapy as well. I want to go watch those other movies and see what they are all about.
Jonathan Sanders
11:08 am, 11.22.10
I believe that the main goal of many of these movies is to reveal the angst that many people have towards the treatment of mentally unstable individuals. Also the concept of the unknown is extremely appealing to the American culture. Honestly I am shocked that there have been so few movies concentrated in this area because it is very hard to go wrong with this theme in cinema.
Anne Weaver
12:32 pm, 11.22.10
Don’t forget the 1950s “The Three Faces of Eve.” It’s about a woman who was documented to have had MPD/DID.
Also there is “A Beautiful Mind” concerning schizophrenia.
And for a completely unrealistic take on psychology and mental illness there is always “What About Bob?”
Mental illness can be very entertaining in the cinema because it is so elusive, scary, or funny at times.
Brandon Schmermund
2:41 pm, 11.27.10
One thing to think about when we are looking at movies about mental illnesses is the new shiny light it might shine on having a mental illness. Yes, I do believe that documentaries about certain people that have struggled with these illness are very interesting and movie worthy, but what we really need to think about is what sort of message are these movies sending to the viewer? I believe it to not be positive for more and more movies to come out having main actors with mental illnesses. I know that someone cannot help the fact that they do have a mental illness, but I also believe people today practice self diagnosis because of outside influences such as movies. Some people believe they have a certain illness without getting a check-up by a licensed physician. This is never a good thing.